Lotus

These plants are the Jewel of the water garden. Lotus are emergent aquatic plants, ie. they have their stems, leaves and flowers above the water while their roots are below the surface and they are SPECTACULAR! For maximum enjoyment they should be grown in full sun with their soil and roots only 2-4" below the water surface.

When do they Flower? Lotus usually begin to flower in late June or early July. They should be fertilized every 4-6 weeks with pondtabbs. For a plant in a 13"pot they should have 2 pondtabbs, and a plant in a 16" pot should have 3 pondtabbs.

Do they survive the winter? Lotus are hardy and will survive our winters provided that they are dropped to the bottom of the pool, below the ice line. Do NOT cut back the stems (they're like straws) to be submerged or the plant may drown!It is OK to cut off spent flowers - you'll lose the seed pods but likely enjoy more blossoms - but be sure to do so above the water line.

In the spring Lift them closer to the surface when opening the pond and fertilize them once you see the juvenile leaves floating on the surface. Then sit back and enjoy!

What do they cost in comparison to water lilies? Established lotus plants cost more than water lilies due in part to the fact that they are tricky to get started and the failure rate with bare root plants or divisions is relatively high.

Like the Water Lilies, Lotus will be larger and showier in larger containers (or more restrained in smaller ones) - a Lerio HC2310 or B20S make beautiful specimens in mid-size pools, larger containers are available for larger ponds. It is important to keep these guys in the pots with no holes because they will escape!